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Travis Scott Launches “First-Of-Its-Kind” NCAA Collection At LSU Campus

April 4, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Travis Scott is a mogul in every sense of the word. The rapper/producer has excelled when it comes to broadening his influence outside of music, and his latest collaboration is proof. Scott launched a brand new NCAA collection that’s being touted as the “first-of-its-kind”, and he did so at LSU campus. The collection will offer designs based on 28 universities from around the nation, including Alabama, Georgia, Houston, and Louisiana State University.

The “Jack Goes Back To College” collection launched on April 3. Scott collaborated with three other notable brands to bring the collection to life, including Fanatics, Lids, and Mitchell & Ness. You can purchase “Jack Goes Back To College” items through each brand’s platforms, as well as Scott’s official website. The collection consists of t-shirts, crewnecks, hoodies, shorts, and more, and will priced between $68 and $160. The rapper commemorated the launch of the “Jack Goes Back To College” line by meeting with LSU students and signing merchandise. He even signed one student’s arm.

Scott’s New Collection Is Called “Jack Goes Back To College”

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The rapper also posed with several notable LSU athletes, including Flau’jae Johnson, Jayden Daniels and Angel Reese. Scott even appeared on Reese’s Instagram Live, asserting that LSU is going to “make it to the league.” Scott masterminded the “Jack Goes Back To College” collection with businessman Michael Rubin, who was also on hand during the LSU unveiling. Rubin has been effusive in his praise for moguls like Scott and Tom Brady, as evidenced by an Instagram post he made back in May 2023.

“Thank you Tommy and Trav – what an amazing discussion,” he wrote. “Can’t wait to watch my guys kill it in football and in business.” Scott’s LSU stop was the first of what will ultimately be a three-stop tour. The rapper moved on to the University of Austin on April 4, where he participated in a business and entrepreneurship discussion with Rubin. The third and final stop on the “Jack Goes Back To College” mini-tour will be the bookstore at the University of Southern California.

Read More: Travis Scott Teases New Album

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Kid Cudi Receives Honorary Master’s Degree In Fashion

December 9, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Kid Cudi earned an honorary Master’s Degree in fashion from Istituto Marangoni Miami and celebrated the academic achievement in a post on Instagram, on Friday. Captioning a photo of himself in a full cap and gown alongside his mother, Cudi reflected on the “prestigious honor.”

“Today was a really special day,” Cudi began in the post. “Man, words cant really express how I felt/feel now in this moment. Im happy, I feel complete, accomplished, validated, all the things that bring immense joy. My mom sharing this moment w me was everything. She got emotional, and it was such a special memory we’ll have together forever.”

Kid Cudi Attends New York Comic-Con

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 14: Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi backstage during the Star Trek Universe panel at New York Comic Con at Javits Center on October 14, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Catherine Powell/Getty Images for Paramount+)

He continued: “I never walked across any stage. I got my GED in high school and only did a year of college. My mom finally got to see me achieve what I thought id never do. And it was beautiful. Thank you to @istitutomarangoni_miami , the wholE staff/faculty and ESPECIALLY the STUDENTS (THE FUTURE!!) for welcoming me and my family and friends w open arms and blessing me w this prestigious honor.” Check out the full post on Instagram below.

Kid Cudi Celebrates Getting Master’s Degree

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Cudi’s degree in fashion comes after he recently launched the brand, Members of the Rage. The school says Cudi intends to donate the proceeds from the pop-up to their scholarship fund. “This honorary degree from Istituto Marangoni Miami recognizes Scott’s (@kidcudi) accomplishments and vision in shaping the scene of modern fashion and luxury with Members of the Rage (@membersoftherage),” they said on their official Instagram page. “Recognizing the inspiration he is to young creatives. Is an honor for us to present this to the world of fashion worldwide and also a statement in the continuous pursuit of education in fashion and design, it is the future and the present of creativity.” Be on the lookout for further updates on Kid Cudi on HotNewHipHop.

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Rick Ross Visits Georgia State University To Speak With Law Students

November 13, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Rick Ross recently stopped by Georgia State University to speak with law students who are taking a 13-week course on the rapper. The curriculum covers various legal contracts that helped shape Rick Ross’s career and provides students the opportunity to learn about drafting, interpreting, and negotiating deals associated with the music industry.

“As a lover of rap music, Hip-Hop culture, and in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, I could not think of a better time to study the career of a visionary like Rick Ross,” Professor Mo Ivory stated in a press release. Ivory further added: “When I began my research on Ross, I realized early on that my students would learn about a businessman who turned his love of music into an empire that includes massive real estate holdings, food and beverage franchises, investments in the car and bike industry, literary works and corporate equity ownership.”

Rick Ross On The “Legendz Of The Streetz Tour”

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MARCH 05: Rapper Rick Ross performs onstage during the Legendz Of The Streetz Tour Reloaded at State Farm Arena on March 05, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Rick Ross’ appearance at Georgia State University comes following the release of his new album with Meek Mill, Too Good To Be True. HitsDailyDouble is reporting that the album will likely move between 30-35k copies during the first week. Meek defended the low expectations in several posts on Twitter over the weekend. He wrote in part: “It’s says me and Ross on pace to sell 35k first week I would post if it said 350k… I’m too nice and rich to be rapping in a control music environment that’s why we dropping music on Fridays it’s doesn’t make sense …. Now we all own our music we getting the tech built to put people on our own musical subscriptions and we gone let direct to consumer see if rap if doing well.” Check out Ross’ appearance at GSU below.

Professor Mo Ivory Meets Up With Rick Ross

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Following the release of Too Good To Be True, Rick Ross and Meek Mill will be headlining Hot 97’s, Winter Jam. Be on the lookout for further updates on their latest album on HotNewHipHop.

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University Of Arizona To Consider Cutting Athletics Programs In Cost-Saving Measure

November 10, 2023 by newhiphopnews

The University of Arizona has announced that it will have to consider cutting athletics programs to help balance the books. According to sources with knowledge of a monthly faculty senate meeting, the university is facing a $240M financial shortage. Furthermore, the athletics department was highlighted as a significant drain on the university’s finances. This includes a $55M loan the university made to the athletics department to help weather the stressors of the pandemic. According to the latest financial disclosures from the university, the operating budget of the athletics department is $100M.

As a result, the suggestion has been made to cut a number of the school’s varsity athletics programs, of which there are currently 23. Next year, Arizona leaves for the Big 12 along with Colorado, Utah, and Arizona State. On average, Big 12 schools sponsor 17 varsity programs. That means it could be the end of the road for niche sports such as triathlon, ice hockey, lacrosse, and rugby. However, it remains to be seen what will be on the table.

Arizona Looking At Multiple Solutions

Arizona accidentally miscalculated their finances by a casual quarter billion, and will now make extreme cuts to make up the deficit. Athletics is solvent, but cutting sports is on the table, per president Robert Robbins.https://t.co/0tFa7eDXd8

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 9, 2023

“Everything is on the table in terms of dealing with athletics. This is an issue that is going to require a lot of tough decisions,” Arizona president Robert Robbins said. Furthermore, faculty members requested that athletic director Dave Heeke be present at future senate meetings, especially for the topic of the athletic department. Additionally, physics professor Johann Rafelski urged Robbins to consider selling the athletics department to an outside vendor. “People who are qualified to run an athletics department may turn it into a profit. We could perhaps get a good sales price,” Rafelski said.

More meetings are expected to be held in the coming weeks as the school considers their next step. However, Robbins noted that the school intended to release its plans for cost-saving measures by December 15 at the latest. This is a developing story and we will have updates as and when they emerge. This weekend, the football team takes on Colorado in one of the last matches of the Pac-12 regular season.

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Shaq’s Daughter To Announce College Commitment This Weekend

November 10, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Me’Arah O’Neal, the daughter of NBA legend Shaq, is set to announce her college commitment this weekend in Houston. The news came as part of a lengthy ESPN profile about O’Neal’s journey as a player and her fight to leave her father’s shadow. Earlier this year, O’Neal revealed her eight finalists to be Arizona State, Baylor, Cal, Georgia Tech, Florida, Kentucky, LSU, and Tennessee. She will reveal her final decision at The Dream Center, the community center attached to her stepfather’s church. Reportedly, she told her father over lunch which school she intended to declare for earlier this week.

While O’Neal has her decision from a field of eight, she was initially approached by essentially every top program in the country. O’Neal is #33 on ESPN‘s Top 100 recruits for 2024. Furthermore, she is just one of nine recruits in the top 50 who are yet to declare for a college. “The word ‘elite’ is a little overused. But if you’re talking elite, she’s elite. There’s no question,” said ESPN’s director of recruiting analysis Shane Laflin.

O’Neal Eyes Pro Basketball

Due to WNBA eligibility rules, O’Neal won’t be able to declare for the draft until 2028. However, she’s made it clear that it’s a step she wants to take. “I wanna make it to the WNBA. I wanna hold my own name, I wanna just be the best basketball player that I could be. Just reach my full potential and get a championship, make All-Star. Do all the big stuff and eventually make the Hall of Fame,” O’Neal said. Additionally, it’s a goal that her father believes is completely possible. “If she keeps it up, she will definitely be in the history books,” Shaq told ESPN.

It’s still unclear where O’Neal’s ceiling is. However, both her brothers and her coach think she’s one of the next big things for women’s basketball. “I’ve seen it [her game] develop tremendously. Because when we were kids, we’d always go at it. And like I said, I’d rough her up,” noted her brother Shaqir, who plays for Texas Southern. “We haven’t seen the best of her yet, like, not even close. I think we’re just scratching the surface. She’s just starting to blossom. … But we’ll see some amazing things,” added her private coach, ex-NBAer Moochie Norris.

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Angel Reese Says She Can No Longer Attend Classes In Person

August 24, 2023 by newhiphopnews

In an interview with Teen Vogue, LSU basketball superstar Angel Reese spoke on how her newfound fame is impacting her education. According to Reese, her celebrity status means that is no longer safe or practical for her to attend classes in person. Instead, she has been relegated to attending remotely or taking purely online classes. “I didn’t think I was going to be on Shade Room every time I post something. I don’t feel like I’m a celebrity, but I think a lot of people look at me as a celebrity now because of the impact I’ve had on not just women’s basketball, but sports in general, and Black women. Things have changed for me.”

However, Reese lamented the change to her schedule, stating that “School’s first, basketball’s next.” Despite this, she also confirmed that her intention was to play in the WNBA. Reese will be eligible for the 2024 Draft and is widely considered to be the #2 pick behind Caitlin Clark. But all this is in service of her family. “My mom is my rock,” Reese added. “Everything I do is just for her and my brother.”

College Sports Fame Impacting Reese And Others

BALTIMORE, MD – JULY 18: LSU basketball star Angel Reese waves to the fans before throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 18, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Reese is not the only LSU athlete who has been forced away from physically attending class. Gymnast and social media star Olivia Dunne also recently revealed that she can no longer attend her classes in person. According to a July interview with Elle, Dunne cited “safety reasons” as why she can no longer attend in person. “There were some scares in the past, and I just want to be as careful as possible. I don’t want people to know my daily schedule and where I am,” Dunne said. Rowdy fans and misogynist trolls make it easy to see why LSU now employs private security for the gymnastics team. “I just want to coach. I don’t want to have my head on a swivel worried about if somebody is coming out of the stands,” Head Coach Jay Clark told Elle.

College athletes find themselves in a spotlight never before seen. Social media can turn them into a figure watched by millions. Meanwhile, the ability to now earn money in college through NIL deals now also makes them publicly seen brand figures. However, you can’t help but feel for these athletes as their fame and commitments reduces the scope of the “college” aspect of being a “college athlete”.

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Rick Ross’ Career & Legal Dealings To Be Focus Of New Law School Course

August 23, 2023 by newhiphopnews

A new course at the Georgia State University College of Law will analyze the career and legal dealings of Rick Ross. Professor Mo Ivory will teach “The Legal Life of Rick Ross” for the fall 2023 semester.

“As a lover of rap music, Hip-Hop culture and in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, I could not think of a better time to study the career of a visionary like Rick Ross,” Ivory said, as noted by AllHipHop. “When I began my research on Ross, I realized early on that my students would learn about a businessman who turned his love of music into an empire that includes massive real estate holdings, food and beverage franchises, investments in the car and bike industry, literary works and corporate equity ownership.”

Rick Ross On The Grammy Awards’ Red Carpet

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 28: Rick Ross attends the 60th Annual GRAMMY. Awards – Arrivals at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Presley Ann/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Rick Ross endorsed the class in a statement. “The ‘Biggest’ meets the classroom,” he said. “I’ve always been a student of the game, and I look forward to being able to teach the next generation how to keep hustling.” The course will go in-depth on various contracts from throughout Ross’ career. It is the latest in a series of courses on celebrities titled “Legal Life of.” Ludacris, Steve Harvey, and Kandi Burruss, have been covered in previous years. They are part of the curriculum for the Entertainment, Sports & Media Law Initiative which focuses on entertainment, sports, media, and intellectual property law.

Outside of his music career, Ross is an avid investor. He owns 25 Wingstop locations, several Checkers and Rally’s restaurants, and is a partner in Sovereign Brands. The Georgia State University College of Law isn’t the only school offering courses on hip-hop artists. In 2021, the University of Toronto held classes on Drake and The Weeknd.

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Charles Barkley To Leave $5 Million To Auburn University In His Will

July 2, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Charles Barkley has revealed plans to leave money in his will to Auburn University. The former pro basketball player and sports analyst says it’s his way of ensuring the Alabama university remains diverse. Auburn University is a Primarily White Institution (PWI), with enrollment of Black students falling just below 5% in 2022. Reports come after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for Affirmative Action to be cut from college admission programs last week.

“In my will, I am leaving Auburn $5 million,” Barkley says, “I’m going to change it to be just for scholarships for Black students. That’s just my way of trying to make sure Auburn stays diverse.” Barkley attended Auburn University from 1981-1984, where he also played college basketball. He played for three seasons before being drafted by the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers as a junior.

Barkley Wants To Ensure Diversity At Auburn

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“I love Auburn,” he says, “I’ve actually changed it to be used for kids from poor homes.” Barkley then refers to the ruling, revealing that ensuring the inclusion of Black students seems like “the right thing” for him to do. “After that ruling yesterday, my phone was blowing up,” he explained. “I was talking to my friends and said, ‘I need to make sure Black folks always have a place at Auburn. So, I’m gonna change my will and make it exclusive for Black students—all $5 million.” Barkley continued, “It’s just for me the right thing to do. I always want to make sure that Auburn’s diverse.”

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling is likely to have a major impact on the millions of students applying to colleges this fall. “The Court has effectively ended affirmative action in college admissions. And I strongly — strongly disagree with the Court’s decision,” President Joe Biden said following the ruling. “I believe our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. Our nation is stronger … because we are tapping into the full range of talent in this nation.”

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Usher Remixes “Nice & Slow” After Receiving Doctorate

May 15, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Usher was made an honorary Doctor by Berklee College of Music over the weekend. The ceremony took place on Saturday at Boston University’s Agganis Arena. The R&B singer was seen celebrating in a post on Instagram by fellow musician Jermaine Dupri. The performers were in high spirits at the event where Usher was awarded for his contributions to music as well as his philanthropy. Dupri attended the ceremony and later shared a clip of Usher wearing his cap and gown. In the clip, Dupri can be heard saying “My man joins my club today.” He went on to say, “Dr. Raymond, congratulations.”

Usher went on to reference his track “Nice & Slow” from his 1997 album, My Way. He plays on the song’s original lyrics, changing them to “They call me D-o-c-t-o-r R-a-y-m-o-n-d.” Usher later commented on Dupri’s post, restating the remixed lyrics. He added, “I’m so grateful for this opportunity to share a message to the next generation of artists, producers, vocalists, arrangers, dancers and more.” Reminding graduates to, “Be brave.” He tells them, “I hope your spark never goes away.”

Usher Urges Graduates To “Make Great Things”

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The artist also shared an inspiring message in his commencement speech earlier in the day. He stated, “My goal as an artist has always been to inspire people to make a positive impact through my music, to make you feel something.” Going on to say, “Last night I felt proud…of the legacy that has been built and that we’re building together as artists.” He told the graduating class to “keep running past that finish line [of your goals], break the barriers, identify that spark in you that motivates you to keep going.” He also told them not to expect everything to be perfect and run smoothly.” Usher urged the graduates to “Take what you’ve learned here [at Berklee], go into the world, and make great things.”

Usher was joined at the commencement ceremony by his mother, his partner Jennifer Goicoechea, and his sons Usher Raymond V and Naviyd Ely Raymond. Dupri as well as another frequent collaborator, Rico Love, also attended to show their support. Dupri received his own honorary doctorate from The Art Institute of Atlanta last June.

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Lil Durk Donates $350,000 in Grants and Scholarships to Howard University

April 16, 2023 by newhiphopnews